Spanish Steps

Your Guide

Tucked away amongst magnolias, eastern red cedars, oaks and flowering trees is a unique gathering place in the Kalorama neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The Spanish Steps, as this park has come to be known, is a series of steps and terraces that occupies the roadway of 22nd St. NW between S St. NW and Decatur Pl. NW and transforms the street into a romantic, urban enclave. Designed during the City Beautiful era, this secluded park is a product of the undulating topography of the Kalorama-Sheridan.

A Secret Park

The park’s secluded location and cloak of lush greenery give the steps an intimate – almost secret – feeling. As the only D.C. park to occupy a city street, its unorthodox location gives the impression that one has stumbled upon a special place in the midst of the city.

Image: Flickr

A Neighborhood Landmark

D.C.'s Spanish Steps vaguely resemble the form of the original Spanish Steps in Rome, but the smaller scale and residential surrounds creates a more intimate, sheltered feeling at the former. Like those in Rome, D.C.’s Spanish Steps are a natural gathering place and neighborhood landmark.

Image: Phoebe Reid / Flickr

An Unofficial Marker of Land Change

From the highest terrace of the Spanish Steps one is able to understand the changing of landforms that occurs throughout D.C. Changes in topography at the Spanish Steps create a belvedere-like quality at the transition from piedmont to tidewater with great views toward the monumental core of Washington. In Kalorama, Florida Avenue acts as an unofficial marker of this change in physiography.

Image: Phoebe Reid / Flickr

The Lion's Head

The focal point of the Spanish Steps is its granite lion head fountain and associated basin on the second highest terrace. One could easily sit on its concrete seat wall and at any time of day to read or socialize with friends and family.

Image: Phoebe Reid / Flickr

Comments

George GauthierSeptember 15, 2012 1:11 PM

There is another step street in a park in DC close to the Omni Shoreham Hotel. It connects Woodland Drive, NW with 29th Street which leads down to Normanstone Drive.